Citizen groups call for sit-ins to protest food price increases

2009-09-02

Leaders of a national campaign to protest high food prices are planning sit-ins nationwide and a protest in front of the parliamentary building.

By Siham Ali in Rabat and Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 02/09/09

[Abdelhak Senna/AFP/Getty Images] A citizen's campaign against high food prices during Ramadan is calling for protests and sit-ins throughout Morocco.

A national committee against high food prices during Ramadan has called for protests and sit-ins in a number of Moroccan regions, starting with one in Berchid on September 11th, and another in front of the parliamentary building, said committee member Muhammed Ghafri.

"A public protest organised by the campaign committee seems appropriate at this time of year, which coincides with summer, Ramadan, the start of the school year and the economic crisis, as we're faced with constant price rises," said Abdessalam Adib, the co-ordinator for the campaign against the rising cost of living.

"Despite the drop in oil prices and a good growing season, prices of food products have increased by a staggering amount," he said.

Price rises that coincided with the start of Ramadan affected vegetables first – particularly tomatoes – with prices per kilo going up by roughly four dirhams. Potatoes were also hit by increases, with a rise of two dirhams. Fruit prices are hovering around fifteen dirhams, when previously they were ten dirhams.

Ahmed, who works for a company in Casablanca, finds it hard on some days to buy everything on his list. "It's incredible when you see the price of sardines soaring to fifteen dirhams, and whiting going up to seventy dirhams," he said.

Aziz, a fishmonger, thinks the rise in the price of fish is simply part of a normal business pattern. He explained that it is high demand that has pushed prices up. "It's normal for traders to profit from the situation. It won't last, and prices will certainly come back down over the next few days."

The departments responsible for controlling market prices do not share the views held by the campaigners, and said that the price increases for certain food products should not be portrayed as a general phenomenon.

Nizar Baraka, the minister responsible for economic and general affairs, said in Rabat on Thursday (August 27th) that the government is fiercely determined to combat speculation on food prices. He added that any illegal activity detected during inspections has been referred to the courts, and said that the prices charged for basic foodstuffs will be coming down over the coming days.

An inter-ministerial committee is to meet for an update on the situation. Hassan Bousselmane, director of competition and pricing at the economic and general affairs ministry, said that uncompetitive prices are controlled. Committees at regional levels look after price controls, anti-fraud measures and veterinary inspections, all so that the secret stock-piling of products can be prevented.

Stock-piling food secretly is punishable by a fine between 100,000 and 500,000 dirhams, and a prison sentence between two months and two years, said Bousselmane.

MP Fatima Moustaghfir told Magharebia that price rises during Ramadan are closely linked to Moroccans' consumption habits, as if they are consumed by a spending frenzy. "It's fine to protest about the price rises," she said. "But first of all you have to change the culture of consumption to avoid the stockpiling of merchandise and the fraudulent behaviour of some traders." She said that advertising during this month played a large part in this "spending fever."

In the meantime, Moroccan families are still paying steep prices for their harira.